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Description: The Small Skipper is a small furry orange coloured butterfly with short wings which are held partially closed when the butterfly is at rest. The wings and uppersides of the body are a rusty orange colour, as are the tips of its antennae. The undersides of the body is silvery white. This species is generally found in places where tall grasses grow, such as meadows, edges of woodland and grassland. Eggs are laid loosely inside grass sheathes. When the caterpillars hatch they find a grass sheath of their own and seal it with silk, making a protective cocoon in which they hibernate through the winter. The caterpillars, which are green with darker green lines and a single white line, emerge the next spring and begin feeding on grass leaves. This butterfly is capable of very rapid darting flight, manoeuvring expertly through tall grass stems. They are more likely, however, to be seen resting at a flower drinking nectar or simply basking in the sun. Small skippers are not listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List 2000.
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